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| Tieng Tiny (4) leads out the PPCFC team v Kirivong yesterday |
A day that I'd rather forget was yesterday's Phnom Penh Crown defeat
against third from bottom Kirivong, who completed a 3-1 double over us,
having won by the same scoreline in the first round of matches. We had a
few players missing but on paper we should be better than Kirivong, but
on the day we simply didn't produce an acceptable level of performance.
We now have two more C-League games to go, against Army and Naga, to
get us back on track ahead of the AFC President's Cup final stages in
late September. We can forget our league campaign as such, and now look
to get our minds focused on the massive task ahead in Tajikistan. We can
only take two foreign players with us, so coach David Booth has that
decision to make, as well as which squad players will be making the
trip. I think we took 21 players to last year's finals in Taiwan.
Another consideration are the costs involved in heading for the final
stages. The AFC provide each team with a $15,000 travel subsidy to cover
the cost of getting there and back, with accommodation and meals
provided whilst the club are there. However, the cost of return air
tickets to Tajikistan, via China or India or wherever, are exorbitant
and the subsidy will not cover the total amount for the Crown squad of
players and officials. The shortfall must be paid by the club
themselves, and the club will only get the subsidy once the competition
has been completed. I think we might need a whip-round.
The
second game played at the Olympic Stadium yesterday was a walk in the
park for NagaCorp, who returned to the top of the C-League table, with a
game in hand on their two nearest rivals. Their opponents Chhlam Samuth
were lambs to the slaughter though it took Naga twenty-odd minutes
before they troubled the scoreboard. After that it was all one-way
traffic. 7-0 was the final score with Sun Sopanha's free-kick beginning
the goal-rush, followed by two apiece for Teab Vathanak and Chuon Chum,
and one for Kop Isa and substitute Sun Sovannrithy. The fallout from the
result, Chhlam Samuth were relegated.
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| Pheak Rady (13) followed by the remainder of the Crown team |
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| Time for pre-match handshakes |
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| The smallest referee in world football, Chi Samedy with his pre-match toss |
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| Coach David Booth reminding his players of their duties |
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| David Booth pointing the way forwards |
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| The Kirivong team with 2-goal In Vichheka (11) |
3 comments:
Yes! AFC is a huge game which #PPCFC have to be won not just be at the final stage.
The last game which lost to Kirivong was not good to Cambodian's fan,but I was there and understand why David Booth decided to change Emmanuel Frimpong.
As a huge fan to PPCFC, I still believe in and support to the team... Go and win that AFC cup!
andy, i think there were many forgettable days this seasons for your club....
if you can't even beat the likes of local sides you think the players can suddenly become world beaters and take on the best of what other leagues have to offer? maybe unless they had a forgettable season too...
in knock out competition, the team lost in PM Cup and also the Singapore Cup....
anyway, all the best of luck to your team...
Hope they can really prove me wrong and not b among the 1st teams to be KO in the next competition...
regards
Han
Its up to the team to turn their league form upside down to create an upset in the AFC President's Cup. We are definitely the underdogs in the group we have been drawn in, but that's the beauty of football. Upsets do happen - we lost to Kirivong twice this season - I rest my case.
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